Will it be Sean White or Jeremy Johnson, who have both been in the program? Or will transfer John Franklin III steal the role?

As for right now, coach Gus Malzahn isn't letting on as to who it will be, and Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables isn't letting that affect his team's preparation.

'I could care less. Doesn't matter one bit to us,' Venables said Tuesday. 'It's not coach speak. We prepare and do what we do and adjust it as we go. That's up to them if they have confidence in their guy.'

Venables knows more about Johnson and White. What he knows about Franklin is that he's really fast.

'For us, what we've seen on tape, really the schemes for the most part remain the same,' Venables said. 'They do a good job spreading you out and running the football, being physical and using the entire field. Both (veteran) quarterbacks are experienced and have been in the system for a few years now so I'm sure there's a good trust factor. We've got to prepare for both quarterbacks. One might be a little bit more of a runner.'

Venables has been studying Auburn's 2013 team, when Nick Marshall ran the show, to help prepare Clemson. And is Venables expecting a few trick plays from Malzahn's offense?

'Oh, yeah. They'll have them all ready for good ol' Clemson,' Venables said. 'Opener, man, you kidding me? The got them all. Just go down the list.'

Coaches taking care of Gallman

Clemson starting running back Wayne Gallman said he feels really good heading into the season opener.

That's because he hasn't been taxed very much this month. This time last year, Gallman had not established himself yet, but in 2016, he's coming off a 1,500-yard season and isn't being pushed as the starter.

That means the coaches are protecting Gallman's body and not putting him through unnecessary work.

'Pretty much the whole (fall) camp I would get less reps than everyone else because they wanted to particularly save my legs,' Gallman said. 'I didn't like that but I'm also learning we've got to play (games) and we've got to last a whole season.'

Gallman said last year was taxing on him, and with Clemson playing in the national title and then starting spring practice less than two months later, coaches have monitored his workload all offseason.

Is cornerback issue overblown?

Clemson sophomore cornerback Mark Fields, who Dabo Swinney said would start right now if the Tigers had a game, said too much has been made by the media and fans about the position's lack of experience.

'I feel like we have great corners on this team,' Fields said. 'I don't really know where that comes from. I just know that we're out here working every day and grinding and getting ready to play Auburn.'